How To Quick-Roast Vegetables Under the Broiler

This has become our favorite cooking technique for vegetables! Not only does it require less hands-on work than sautéing on the stove top, but vegetables develop a nice char under the broiler. This translates into savory smokiness in our dishes. We also like the texture contrast. Since broiling is a quick cooking method, the outsides of the veggies soften while the insides stay relatively crisp. Yum!

What You Need

Ingredients

Olive oil
Kosher salt
An array of quick-cooking vegetables - essentially, any vegetable that can be eaten raw as well as cooked, such as:
bell peppers, onions, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage

Equipment

A sharp knife
A baking sheet
A broiler

Instructions

1.Turn on your broiler - If you have the option, set the broiler on HIGH. If the broiler is inside your oven (as opposed to in a separate compartment below it), move an oven rack to within 4-5 inches of the broiler flame. (See post: How to Use Your Broiler)

2.Prepare your vegetables - Cut all the vegetables into large chunks. Big, uneven pieces are perfect for this technique. Vegetables like onions and cabbage can be cut into wedges. Bell peppers can be quartered. Cauliflower and broccoli can be broken into smaller florets.

3.Toss with olive oil and salt - Make sure all the surfaces are evenly coated, then spread them out on a sheet pan.

4.Broil for five minutes - After five minutes, flip and stir the vegetables so they are cooking evenly

5.Continue broiling and flipping every five minutes - The vegetables will gradually start to char on the outside - this is what you want! Softer vegetables like peppers will cook faster than ones like onions. Remove vegetables as they soften and become evenly charred. All vegetables will be ready in about 20-25 minutes, depending on how crunchy or soft you like them.

6.Chop the roasted veggies for your meal - Long strips are great for fajitas and burritos. Diced smaller, the vegetables can become pizza topping, quesadilla filling, or even a very quick sauce for pasta. You can also let the vegetables cool and then use them to round out a green salad.